Dead Hands When Chipping

Chipping is hard enough without having to worry about which way the green runs. However, chipping to a green that runs away from you can be hazardous to your score. Using “dead hands” when chipping downhill is probably the best type of shot to make if you don’t want to roll through the green. Some golfers use a pinched pitch shot to get the ball to spin as much as possible for this type of shot, but this type of shot does not always spin as much as you need to get the ball to stop on the green.

Using dead hands when chipping to a green that runs away from you may be the best shot you to ensure you can get to save par. The dead hands shot eliminates any wrist cock that you would normally take with a pinched pitch shot. You will only use your arms for this type of shot. However, when attempting this shot, you will want to keep several things in mind.

Your stance must be changed to make a dead hands chip shot. Open up your feet toward the target and place them no more than 6-inches apart. Stand taller than you normally do when setting up for a pitch or chip shot. Make sure the ball is located on the inside of your back foot. This promotes a steeper down swing on the ball. Bow slightly at the waist and press your hands forward. Square the club face to the target line. The club face will be a open. You also want about 65 percent of your body weight located on your forward leg.

Now that you have the set up, you can pick out a landing spot for the ball. The ball will roll out, because the green runs away from you. If you have practiced this shot a lot, then you know which club to use to get the distance you want. Remember, you want to use the same stroke each time, but change the distance by using different lofts or golf club. It is much easier to maintain one stroke and different clubs than it is to use multiple strokes and one wedge.

If you have little green to work with, than you may want to land the ball short of the green and let it roll onto the green. If you have a lot of green to work with, than you may want to land the ball farther on to the green. Either way, you need to know how far you hit each club with the dead hands chip. The more loft, the less distance you will receive.

You also want to raise your hands, which will raise the heel of the club slightly off the ground. You want the toe of the club to stay down. However far you take the club back, you want to make sure you do not hinge your wrists. This chip shot is more like a putting stroke when it comes to wrist action. Using just your arms will eliminate club head speed and make a more shallow swing arc.

Now, keep your head down, use very little lower body and strike the ball crisp. If you have chosen the right landing spot, the ball will land on that spot and trickle down to the hole. You will also want to read the green just like you would when putting from the edge of the green from that line.